Machine for sharpening cutlery.



J. W. HUNTER.

MACHINE FOR SHARPBNING GUTLBRY.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 27, 1911.

1,007,951 Patented Nov. 7, 1911.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR CQLUNIIA FLANOGRAPH CO.,WASHINOTBN, D C.

-\ projects under the plate.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH W. HUNTER, OF GARRE'IT,- TEXAS.

MACHINE FOR SHARPENING CUTLERY.

To all whom. it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH W. HUNTER, citizen of the United States, residing at Garrett, in the county of Ellis and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines foi1 Sharpening Cutlery, of which the following is a specication.

This invention pertains to machines for sharpening cutlery.

The object of the invention is to provide a machine in which the article to be sharpened is clamped in a movable carrier in position to be reciprocated between abrading members; also provision for reciprocating the carrier; provision for limiting the movement of the carrier; and provision for yieldably holding the abrading members in engagement with the article.

A still further object of the invention is to provide means of the character described that will be strong, durable, efficient, and easy of operation, simple and comparatively inexpensive to construct, and also in which the several parts will not be likely to get out of working order.

With the above and other objects in View, the invention has relation to certain novel features of construction and operation, an example of which is described in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1. is a plan view, portions of the base plate being broken away, Fig. 2. is a side elevation of the same, Fig. 3. is an end elevation, one of the stops being broken away and the roller guide being shown partially in section, and Fig. 4. is a detail in elevation of the clamp.

In the drawings the numeral 1 designates an elongated base plate which is shown with portions broken out for convenience of illustration. of the base plate a clamp arm 2 depends and This clamp arm carries a vertical thumb-screw 3 by which the base plate is fastened in position after the clamp arm has been engaged over the edge of a table or other support.

From opposite sides of the base plate and at the central portion vertical frame plates 4 extend upward. On each frame plate a short distance above the base plate a pair of longitudinal and parallel ribs 5 project upward. Each pair or ribs is spaced apart and forms a slideway. A carrier 6 in the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 27, 1911.

At one side of the central portion Patented Nov. 7, 1911.

Serial No. 604,957.

form of a horizontal plate has its longitudinal edges engaging in the slideways. This plate is considerably less in length than the `base plate but is slightly longer than the blade of the knife or other article to be sharpened.

A transverse plate 7 is supported at the upper ends of the plates 4, while a transverse guide plate 8 extends between the uppermost ribs 5 a short distance above the carrier 6. Vertical shafts 9 extend between the plates 7 and 8 on opposite sides of the longitudinal center of the machine and out of transverse alinement. J ust below the plate 7 each shaft includes a universal joint 10.

On each shaft below the universal joint an inverted truncated abrading roller 11 is fastened. These rollers are of suitable material and are disposed by lreason of their shafts, one in advance of the other and with their adjacent upper ends projecting past each other on opposite sides of the longitudinal center of the machine. For yieldably forcing the rollers toward each other extension springs 12 have their outer ends suitably supported by the plates 4 and their inner ends encircling horizontal pins 14 extending from collars 15 loosely confined lon the reduced ends of the shafts 9 between the rollers and the plate 8. The lower ends of the shafts extend into transverse slots 16 of the plate 8 whereby the rollers may swing transversely but not longitudinally of the machine. At one end of the carrier 6 a vertical clamp yoke 17 is secured. As shown in Fig. 4 a block 18 having a V- shaped recess at its upper end is fixed in the lower end of the yoke on the carrier plate. A corresponding block 19 having a V-shaped recess in its underside is slidable vertically in the yoke and is adjusted and fastened by means of a thumb-screw 2O passing through the upper end of the yoke. The handle of a knife 9.1 or other instrument to be sharpened is inserted between the blocks and fastened in position so that its blade will extend longitudinally of the machine with its cutting edge upward and engaging between the rollers 11.

It is obvious that by reciprocating the carrier 6 the knife blade will be reciprocatedbetween the rollers and by reason of the springs 12 said rollers will adapt themselves to blades of varying thickness and will also be held in yieldable contact therewith. By arranging one roller in advance of the other they will not contact thus permitting them to properly engage theopposite sides of the knife blade irrespective of their wear.

To obtain a proper abrading action the rollers 1l should be rotated in a direction opposite to the movement of the knife and to accomplish this the following driving mechanism is employed: A stub shaft 22 projects outwardly from the outer side of one of the frame plates 4. On this shaft a driving member comprising a beveled gear :23 and a spur gear 24 of less diameter spaced from and rigidly attached to the inner side of the beveled gear, is mounted.. A crank handle 25 is secured to the gear 23 near its periphery and by which the operator revolves the gears. On the underside of the carrier 6 a longitudinal gear rack 26 is provided and meshes with a pinion 27 fixed on a transverse shaft supported in the plates 4L below the carrier. On the projecting end of this shaft is fixed a gear 29 meshing with the gear 24. Referring to Fig. 2 it is obvious that when the driving member is turned to the right the carrier G will be moved to the left.

A beveled pinion 30 is rotatably mounted on the plate 7 and meshes with the gear 23. Directly under the pinion 30 a spur pinion 31 is fixed thereto and rotated therewith. The shafts 9 of the rollers Il extend through and above the plate 7 and on the projecting ends of said shafts gears 32 are fastened. These gears mesh with each other and one of said gears meshes with the pinion 3l. Again referring to Fig. 2 and assuming that the driving member is turned to the right thereby moving the carrier to the left, the pinions and gears 30, 3l and 32 will be rotated in the directions indicated by the arrows in Fig. l thus causing the rollers Il to rotate in a direction opposite to the movement of the carrier and at a higher rate of speed.

When the driving member is turned to the left the movements will be reversed but still opposed. The machine is operated by alternately turning the driving member to the right and left whereby a reciprocating movement is imparted to the carrier and the knife. It is evident that some means for arresting the carrier at each end of its stroke must be provided and to accomplish this depending lugs 33 are provided at each end of the carrier plate 6. At the center of each end of the base plate a pair of spaced lugs 34 are provided. A stop in the form of a thumb-screw 35 is screw threaded in said lugs 34. These screws are alined with each other and project into the path of the lugs 33. It is apparent that by adjusting the screws 35 the stroke of the carrier may be Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

varied and it is understood that the stroke will vary according to the length of the knife blade which is being sharpened.

That I claim is:

l. In a cutlery sharpening machine, a base plate, a reciprocating carrier mounted over the base plate and having provision for supporting work, a pair of abrading rollers mounted to swing transversely of the carrier and above the same, one of said rollers being disposed in advance of the other, springs connected to the rollers, devices for limitingr the stroke of the carrier, and gears arranged to rotate theabrading rollers and drive the carrier in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the rollers.

2. In a cutlery sharpening machine, a base plate, supports provided on the base plate, a carrier plate reciprocating longitudinally of the base plate between the supports, a work clamp mounted on the carrier plate, transverse plates extending between the supports above the carrier plate, a pair of inverted truncated abrading rollers mounted between the transverse plates arranged to swing laterally of the carrier plate, expansion springs connected to the rollers, devices for limiting the stroke of the carrier, and

gears arranged to rotate the abrading rollers and drive the carrier in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the rollers.

3. In a cutlery sharpening machine, an

elongated base plate, frame plates secured at each side of the base plate, ribs provided on the frame plates, a reciprocating carrier plate engaging between the ribs, lugs provided on each end'of the carrier plate, adjustable stop devices mounted on the base plate in the path of the lugs, a transverse plate connecting the upper ends of the frame plates, vertical shafts passing through said transverse plate and including universal joints, a. second transverse plate having guide openings receiving the lower ends of the shafts, inverted truncated abrading rollers mounted on the shafts below the universal joints of the same, expansion springs extending from the frame plates and bearing against the vertical shafts below the rollers, the rollers being disposed one in advance of the other, a work clamp mounted on the carrier plate, a gear rack provided on the carrier plate, and a train of gears having connection with the gear rack and the vertical shaft.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH W. HUNTER.

Witnesses T. H. CAMPBELL, V. I. STIRMAN.

Washington, D. C. 

